The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-18
the drag-rope if the party would stop the

The balloon crossed the Delaware at an alti-
tude of about 800 feet. People in boats
cheered, steamers blew their whistles and a
general hubbub was created. The balloon
party gave three cheers. Philadelphia was
entered at the lower end of the First ward,
OF neck, near the junction of the Schuly
XIII and Delaware rivers
Here began the trying scenes of the trip,
which 1t seemed must inevitably end in dis
aster As soon as the ''neckn was entered
King cried to those below to catch the drag
rope and make it fast. There were several
attempts to accomplish this, but they
failed. Just below the lighthouses stu
ated on creek runningifrom the Delaware,
the balloon sharply descended. Look out,
she is going to strike! Hold'o and don't
jump or lose your grip"N yelled Profs. King
strike, and with a vengeance. The car
bumped the ground in an open lot and dirt
flew high in the air. The shock was terrific
Each man chung for life to one of the ropes
which attached the car to the hoop con-
nected to the netting. The force of the
shock, while not sufficient to break the grip
which each man held ON a basket rope,
Jared every bone III his body and made his
teeth rattle. The balloon careened and
lurched, bumped the car again, and then
rose with tremendous rapidity to about $50
feet.
"Be ready with ballast should she fall
again, was Prof. Kings order. Boys he
said, moment later, don't attempt to
jump shonld we strike. We must all hang
together for common safety"
The balloon did not descend again.
HUNTING FOR A LANDING PLACE
A moment later the balloon sunk again,
and little of the ballast was thrown out.
which was now worth its weight in gold to
the seven men in their perilous situation
After vain efforts to get some one to make
fast the drag-rope on the meek" the
Great Northwest" floated across the
Schuylkill river into West Philadelphia,
over the lower end of Woodland cemetery,
at an altitude of 200 feet. Bal
last was frightfully scarce, and prepara-
tions were made to throw everything over
board. Tricky populated streets were
crossed, and people were yelled to and asked
to catch the drag rope, hut it was of no use.
Another cemetery was crossed, and then
came an open space. Prof. Hazen remarked
that windstorm was rising, and that land
ing must be made soon. Things were look
ing very serious indeed, especially when the
Great Northwest" grazed the cross on the
steeple of church and carried the basket
within ten feet of it, The West Cathedral
Cemetery was crossed, the drag rope scrap
ing along over the white tombstones.
The most perilous position of the VIII
trip was when the balloon crossed the Penn
sylvania railroad at a station which was
said to be Mantau Junction. 1t was then
about $50 feet above the earth and about 200
feet of the drag-rope was being pulled along
the ground. As the station was neared it
was seen that train was just starting, and
there was startling probability that the
drag-rope would be caught by it. If SO, it
would be a serious matter to the balloon
party. 1t was an anxious moment. Prof.
King yelled but it was of no use; the train
still moved on
Hang on! They'll catch our drag-rope!'
he cried, and there was general grasping
for ropes. But telegraph wire prevented
the rope from falling on the train or be-
tween the cars, and the balloonists were
saved. The balloon here took more north
erly direction and passed about 800 yards
west of Memorial Hall, the starting point.
THE BALLOON STOPPED AT LAST.
1t was so dark that the building could not
be seen, and the balloon foated across Fair
mount Park into a swampy stretch OF
country to the northwest of it This was
soon left and a settled section entered. As
every farm house approached the party set
up yell, Catch the drag-rope and make
it fast" They might have yelled till ex-
hausted and it would have been of no avail.
An isolated farm house was neared and
Prof King yelled, Come out and see the
balloon; catch the drag-rope" Failure
again! 1t was disheartening. The situation
was becoming desperate. The breeze was
fast stiffening. In West Manayunk road
was crossed near a house. The usual cry
was set up, ''Catch the rope The rope was
apparently caught, and again the peril of
the party in the car was increased. 1t was
thought that the people in the house had
certainly made the rope fast. The balloon
tugged at the rope, and careened in the stiff
breeze, and the basket tipped to more than
an angle of As, so that to stand it was
necessary to grasp and hang on to the stay
ropes.
us she fast ?" yelled Prof. King. The air
ship rose like kite to the utmost limit of
the rope and it hung bobbing in the air 250
feet from the ground.
A disaster would happen if the balloon
was held in that position longer. Prof
King asked if the rope was fast, and the
answer was, apparently, eyes"
Hang on. I'm going to pull the valve
open Let no one jump when we strike"
All hands grabbed the ropes and chung to
them with might and main. Prof King
pulled the valve-cord. Just then the drag
rope, as was afterwards learned, broke off
the top of cherry tree in which it had be-
come entangled. This was most unfortun-
ate, coupled with the pulling of the valve
cord at that time. Down came the basket
of the balloon into the open lot beneath with
a force that was appalling. Had not every
one had hold of the ropes some one might
have been killed. The balloon careened,
rose about ten feet and then dashed the car
into clump of trees.
A PERILOUS LANDING.
Branches snapped off, the balloon tugged
and pulled to free itself, the wicker car
cr;eaked and groaned and ropes and cordage
strained and stretched. Three times tine
helpless men in the car were dashed into the
trees. Once more there was adash, followed
by a deafening crash. When the balloon
swayed again the basket remained fixed. 1t
had caught in the trees and SO held thsre.
The anchor was thrown out. The Great
Northwest rose, crashed through the trees
and was again ascending when seven or
eight sturdy farm hands, who had followed
her, seized the drag rope and took half
q dozen turns about a tree The Great
Northwest hung over the lump of trees,
and the still freshening breeze swung her
over an open space beyond them. Prof.
King saw his opportunity. He called to the
crowd of men, womau and children who
had gathered to seize the basket when il
struck earth, and pulled the escape valve at
the top of the balloon.
Down came the basket, the crowd seized
IL and held it. the gas escaped and in five
of its great strength. and the guests of Prof
O'clock. The landing was made on the
----e.....4,. % esa,a,o1 II Tfhhans in Marion